JSR halts shipments from Kashima plant

ERJ staff report (DS)

Tokyo -- Synthetic rubber supplier JSR Corp. said it has halted production of rubber products at its Kashima plant in Kamisu City, Ibaraki. Meanwhile the company's BR plant in Ichihara City, Chiba continues to operate normally, subject to power-outages.

JSR said of its Kashima unit that it makes IR (Polysioprene Rubber), EBR (Ethylene-Propylene Rubber), and Latex. At the same site, many other products were produced such as halogenated butyl rubber by Japan Butyl Co., Ltd., and thermoplastic elastomers by Kraton JSR Elastomers K.K."

JSR said automatic interlocks at Kashima detected the earthquake and according to standard procedures, stopped production as soon as the quake struck. An initial inspection detected no significant damage to out buildings, and more detailed inspections are on-going. However, the local water supply has been interrupted, so operations could not continue as of March 16. The company added, "We are unable to report at this stage when product shipment from the Kashima Area will resume."

At Chiba, JSR makes butadiene rubber and butadiene monomer, the latter in Tobu Butadiene Co., Ltd., a joint venture between JSR and Sumitomo Chemical Co., Ltd.

JSR said while there is no damage at the JSR facility, supply may be interrupted due to planned power outages and to other infrastructure issues within the wider chemical complex.

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Press release from JSR (16 March)

Plant descriptions from JSR